1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular hood apparatus including a hood sufficiently deformable in a lifted position to absorb an impact of an obstacle on the hood.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known vehicular hood apparatuses provided on vehicles. These apparatuses are arranged such that a hood of the apparatus is lifted a given amount and then held in a lifted position when the vehicle hits an obstacle. The hood thus lifted provides increased possible amount of downward deformation thereof. That is, the hood held in the lifted position can be deformed more downwardly. Thus, when the vehicle hits the obstacle and the obstacle is thereby thrown onto the hood held in the lifted position, the hood can greatly absorb an impact of the obstacle thereon. One example of such a vehicular hood apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. HEI 10-258774 entitled "LIFTING TYPE HOOD". The disclosed apparatus has a construction as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 hereof.
FIG. 9 shows a vehicular hood apparatus 100 having a hood 108 closed.
The vehicular hood apparatus 100 includes a bracket 102 attached to a vehicle body 101 of a vehicle. In the bracket 102, there is formed an elongated guide aperture 102a. A link 105 has a lower end portion supported by a lower pin 103. The lower pin 103 is disposed to move along a longitudinal direction of the aperture 102a. The link 105 has an upper end portion connected to a hood arm 107 through an upper pin 106. A lock piece 111 is mounted to the bracket 102 in such a manner as to pivot on a stationary pin 110. Between the lock piece 111 and the bracket 102, there is mounted a coil spring 114. The spring 114 normally urges a claw 112 of the lock piece 111 in such a direction that the claw 112 is engaged with the upper pin 106.
With the upper pin 106 thus engaged with the claw 112 of the lock piece 111, the upper pin 106 is retained in a U-shaped groove 102b formed in the bracket 102. The link 105 is thus fixed to thereby prevent the closed hood 108 from rattling vertically.
On the other hand, when the claw 112 of the lock piece 111 is disengaged from the upper pin 106, the link 105 is unfixed. The hood 108 is then lifted a given amount in a manner as discussed below.
Reference is made to FIG. 10. The hood 108 is placed in a lifted position.
When the vehicle hits an obstacle, an actuator (not shown) is operated to apply a lifting force to the hood 108. At the same time, an unlock force F is exerted on the lock piece 111, as indicated by an arrow. The lock piece 111 then pivots on the stationary pin 110, as indicated by an arrow A, to thereby disengage the claw 112 from the upper pin 106. The link 105 is therefore unfixed.
Subsequently, the upper pin 106 is raised together with the hood 108, as indicated by an arrow B, while the lower pin 103 moves along the guide aperture 102a, as indicated by an arrow C. Consequently, the hood 108 is lifted the given amount. By thus lifting the hood 108, it becomes possible to provide the hood 108 with increased possible amount of downward deformation thereof. Therefore, when the vehicle hits the obstacle and the obstacle is thereby thrown onto the hood lifted in the above-described manner, the hood can greatly absorb an impact of the obstacle thereon.
However, the upper pin 106 should be locked with the claw 112 of the lock piece 111 so as to prevent the closed hood 108 from rattling, as shown in FIG. 9. The lock piece 111 and the spring 114 for holding the lock piece 111 in a locked state are thus required.
The lock piece 111 in the locked state should be brought to an unlocked state when the vehicle hits the obstacle. Therefore, there is required an operation mechanism for bringing the lock piece 111 to the unlocked state.
For this reason, the number of parts for the apparatus 100 is inevitably increased. This increases a cost of the apparatus 100.